Fluorescent lamp socket



Nov. 21, 1950 B. FOX 2,530,607

FLUORESCENT LAMP SOCKET Filed May 1, 1946 WHEN WEN 5: 0 am [/1 FE) x Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUORESCENT LAMP SOCKET Benjamin Fox, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 1, 1946, Serial No. 666,292 1 Claim. (01. 173-328) My invention relates to a socket for holding a fluorescent lamp and relates particularly to a socket wherein the two prongs of the fluorescent tube are held in electrical contact in the electrical circuit, partially by the spring contact and partially by the socket.

Numerous fluorescent sockets have been made and sold which enable the fluorescent lamp to be mechanically and electrically held in position.

Most of the prior art sockets, however, relatively are expensive to manufacture or the electrical contacts lose their mechanical strength with age and repeated use with the result that the tubes fall out or the tube may be jarred loose from its sockets. electrical contact prongs primarily hook the pins on the tube whereas in my invention the spring contacts press the pins against a hook-like member on the socket itself.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a socket which will fully seat each prong of a contact against one pin of a fluorescent tube.

Another object of my invention is to provide a socket whereby the insulator base of the socket together with the socket prongs will engage the pins of the tube mechanically and electrically.

Another object of my invention is to provide a socket having integrally formed parts wherein increased tension is applied to the electrical contact.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is perspective view of a socket embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an inside view of a socket shown in i .1.

Fig. 3 is an outside view of a socket embodying my invention and shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, I show a socket for holding a fluorescent tube comprising an insulator, generally designated as A, of insulating material preferably of molded plastic of the type such as phenolic condensation product. The socket has a foot l from which a body l2 having a chamber l3 projects. The foot and the body are integrally In the prior art sockets themolded together as a unit. The foot provides means whereby the socket may be fastened to a support. A groove opening I4 in the foot is of the customary construction to enable the socket to be secured by the head of a, suitable screw or bolt.

Centrally within the chamber l3 of the body is a vertically extending rib [6 which has laterally extending points l8, I8A which points are for the purpose of abutting against the inner sides of each electrical contact member, generally designated as B. A pair of protuberances or ribs 28, 29A integrally molded with the socket are adapted to engage each of the electrical contaotors B on their outer sides.

At the top of the socket I2 is a recess 22, which is partially defined by vertically extending parallel walls 24, 26. The wall 24 is joined by an irregular wall 28 which creates a small downwardly extending projection 30, for the purpose of limiting the movement in one .direction of a pin on the lamp. The wall 28 defines a downwardly and laterally extending recess 32 in the socket body.

A second irregular wall 34 joins the second parallel wall 26 and creates a projection 36, for the purpose of limiting the movement in one direction of a second pin on the lamp.

The wall 34 also creates a second downwardly and laterally extending recess 38 in the socket body.

Each of the spring electrical terminals B are identically constructed so that description of one will sufiice as a description of the other. The electrical terminal B is held in the base without screws or some other suitable holding means.

The terminal B has an end 40 which is fas tened to the foot of the socket. At right angles to the end is a straight portion 43 which terminates in an inwardly extending curve portion 48,

' tension is placed upon the electrical terminal B by virtue of the projections 18 and 20. The terminal has an extension 44 which fits into a recess :36 on the lower portion of the body so that e t rminal is locked in position by virtue of engage the parallel wall opposite, then the tube I is pressed downwardly so that the pin engagement with the terminal will move the terminal outwardly, the pin moving in the slot until the second pin is in contact with the second terminal B. Then both pins are pressed to be substantially in a horizontal plane.

When the pins are in a horizontal plane engaging both terminals B, the tube may be released and the tube will be held in position in electrical engagement with the terminals B. The resiliency of each terminal will have a tendency to push each pin against the projection i8 so that the tube will be held mechanically in position. The distance between the parallel walls 24, 26 is less than the diametrical distance between the pins on one side of the tube.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

In a socket for engaging the pins of a fluorescent lamp insulating body, the top of said body having a pair of substantially parallel walls, defining a recess for the passage of a pair of spaced pins on one end of the lamp, an irregular wall joined to each of said parallel walls whereby said irregular walls produce small projections extending downwardly substantially in the same vertical planes as the parallel walls, each irregular wall defining an inclined slot extending downwardly away from the vertical center of the body, a pair of electrical spring contacts mounted within the interior of said insulating body, each contact located adjacent one of said inclined slots and adjacent one projection whereby said contact may press one pin of said lamp against said projection to hold said pin in position and a projection engaging one side of one electrical contact and another projection engaging another portion of said contact whereby tension is placed upon said contact by said projections.

BENJAMIN FOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are. of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Beal Oct. 6, 1942 

